Clothing data system

ABSTRACT

Procedure for marking of suspended garments by providing an element, which directly carries each garment, with a plurality of information-carrying marker units or talleys by forming thus a substantially cylindrical pile of such marker units and by providing each marker unit on its outer side with an information concerning some particular of the garment, the marker units thus providing together the desired, easily visible characterization of the article.

United States Patent [1 1 Johansson CLOTHING DATA SYSTEM Gert ArneJohansson, Lerum, Sweden [75] Inventor:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 29, 1972 Sweden 10367/72[52] US. Cl. 40/322 [51] Int. (31. G09F 3/00 [58] Field of Search 35/77,31 A, 31 B, 31 D, 35/31 H; 40/316, 19.5, 322, 11

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 303,007 8/1884 Haywood 40/114 X 702,615 6/1902 Barden 40/68 X 1,129,019 2/1915 Rooney.. 40/144 X1,575,775 3/1926 Lesser.... 40/2 R;322 1,790,157 l/193l Kovary... 40/20X 2,541,460 2/1951 Bugh 40/145 2,850,819 9/1958 Payne 40/300 3,068,60012/1962 Blanchet... 40/316 3,333,356 8/1967 Bosland 40/114 3,526,9829/1970 Hess 40/114 3,535,808 10/1970 Morrish 40/322 1 Aug. 12, 1975FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS OTHER PUBLICATIONS Display World Vol.57; Issue 6; p. 6 for Dec. 1950.

Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Wenceslao J.Contreras Attorney, Agent, or FirmSughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn andMacpeak [5 7 ABSTRACT Procedure for marking of suspended garments byproviding an element, which directly carries each garment, with aplurality of information-carrying marker units or talleys by formingthus a substantially cylindrical pile of such marker units and byproviding each marker unit on its outer side with an informationconcerning some particular of the garment, the marker units thusproviding together the desired, easily visible characterization of thearticle.

22 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED AUG 1 21975 SHEET Fig. 4

CLOTHING DATA SYSTEM The invention relates particularly to a clothingdata system, namely a procedure for marking of particulars of garmentsor the like and a device for implementation of the procedure.

Essentially two devices, namely size separators and labels, have earlierbeen used for identification of garments and other articles suspended inwarehouses and for sale in shops and department stores. Size separatorsgenerally have the form of discs or plates fitted to clothes-rails anddistinguish clothes-hangers carrying garments of different sizes or withother different characteristics. This arrangement is admittedly bothcheap and simple but has serious inconveniences. Transfer of garmentsbetween markers is possible, so that garments may readily be wronglyplaced without the error being discovered before making a detailedexamination garment by garment. Faulty placing of garments causesconfusion and loss of time both for warehouse personnel, customers andshop-assistants. The information that can be provided on sizeseparators, furthermore, must necessarily be extremely scanty ifacceptable clarity is to be maintained. Attempts have admittedly beenmade with size separators carrying more detailed information, but thishas not proved especially successful, as appears from the fact that themajority of sales units now use size separators with only simple sizeparticulars. In the Swiss Pat. No. 282 234 and the US. Pat. No. 1 790157 different types of such size separators are described in greaterdetail.

For identification and detailed information concerning individualgarments, labels are now used which are attached directly to thegarments, for example by stapling or with a wire. In such case, ofcourse, it is possible to furnish information in unlimited detail, butoften the amount of information is in such case too large, with lack ofclarity as a result. This method has other disadvantages as well. Thelabels, for example, are often difficult to find, both forshop-assistants and customers. The placing of the labels, thedesignations used, and the layout of the information are oftennonuniform and create confusion. A label may also fall off without itsabsence being noticed until a detailed examination is made. Mostly,furthermore, the labels are written by hand, which takes a long time. Itoccasionally occurs, finally, that the garment is damaged when thelabels are to be released from it after purchase.

The present invention permits avoidance of these disadvantages ofearlier known devices and provides additional advantages as well.According to the invention, information-carrying units, or talleys forexample in the form of rings with information in the peripheriesthereof, are attached to the devices, for example clothes-hangers orclothes-pegs, which directly carry the garment. It is generally best tofit the units to the hooks with which the clothes-carrying devices aresuspended on clothes-rails or the like, and each individual unit shouldcontain only a limited quantity of information. The information recordedon a unit may, for example, be solely the price of the article or solelythe size, whereby the units form a modular system.

The present invention has a number of advantages, some of the moreimportant of which are set out below.

A clear and uniform identification of each individual garment isobtained, so reducing the risk of confusion of garments and ofuncertainty on the part of customers and shop-assistants. This savestime for both parties. The markers can also be seen from all directions,which increases the clarity.

The modular form of the markers allows them to be easily adapted todifferent informational requirements and makes for uniformity. Both ofthese factors greatly facilitate the introduction of self-servicesystems. These systems have not hitherto made any great advance in theclothing trade, one reason being the large amount of information needed.The flexible form permits both quick and simple compilation ofinformation concerning a given article and makes it easy to re-markarticles, as in the case of clearance sales. Since the marker units canbe saved and re-used to an unlimited extent, at least in theory, thecosts of marking material and marking work can be reduced. In principlea sales location needs only a specific set of units for its entirefuture requirement. The invention also offers great diversity as, apartfrom letters and numerals, the colouring of the units can serve asinformation concerning the article, which increases theinformation-carrying capacity of each unit.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference tothe attached drawings, of which FIG. 1a shows an advantageous embodimentof an information-carrying unit according to the invention, formed as aring,

FIG. 1b another advantageous embodiment of an information-carrying unit,formed as a ring with an adapter slot,

BIG. 2 the method of fitting of information-carrying units according toFIG. 1a,

FIG. 3 a number of information units according to FIG. la withinfonnation on the peripheries thereof, combined to provide informationconcerning a given garment and fitted as a pile on the hook of aclotheshanger,

FIG. 4 a drapery clip with combined units, which constitute anadditional embodiment of the invention.

FIG. la shows a marker unit 1 formed as a cylindrical ring with aperipheral vertical side surface or outer wall 2 intended to carryinformation. The unit also has a central traversing hole 3, whereby theunit can be placed on the hook of a clothes-hanger or drapery clip. Tofacilitate handling when assembling or removing units, each unit 1 hasbevelled surfaces 4 and 5 at the edges between the surface 2 and the twohorizontal surfaces. These make it easier to grip each unit with thefingers.

FIG. lb shows a marker unit 6 formed essentially as an open toroid,consisting of an inner vertical circular wall 7, a radial horizontalcircular wall 8, an outer vertical circular wall 9, and a conical wall10 between walls 8 and 9. The inner wall 7 delimits the traversing hole3 as in FIG. 1a. There is also a radial slot 11 in all walls, the slotin each wall communicating with the slot in the adjacent wall or walls.This slot 11 is of sufficient width to permit fitting to aclothes-hanger hook or the like by pressing on from the side. The inner,radial, and outer walls are all made of a resilient material, preferablyplastic, and they are preferably made in one piece, as by moulding.

FIG. 2 shows how the marker units 1, furnished with information, areplaced on the hook 12 of a clotheshanger 13. This is done by fitting thehole 3 to the hook 12, after which the unit 1 is passed over the hookinto contact with the clothes-hanger 13 or any earlier marker unitplaced on it. The marker units 6, of course, would ordinarily not beplaced on the hooks of clotheshangers in the same fashion, but would besimply pressed on to the hooks by lateral forces, with the hooks passingthrough the radial slots and into the central traversing holes, wherethey are releasably held.

FIG. 3 shows the clothes-hanger after fitting of the units in FIG. 2.The marker units are combined to provide information concerning a givengarment. The individual marking units are furnished with informationconcerning the trade mark 14, represented by FIRM, size 15, representedby 137, size variant l6, represented by D-SIZE, fibre type 17,represented by COT- TON, and finally, special sales information 18, hererepresented by REA. Thence it will be apparent that the information canconsist both of letters and numerals, but in addition a ring, forexample the ring with special sales information 18, can be speciallycoloured for improved information capacity or for attraction ofattention.

FIG. 4 shows a drapery clip 19 carrying a garment 20 and having asuspender 21. On this suspender 21 three marker units 22 are arrangedeccentrically. The eccentricity is obtained by furnishing the markerunits 22 with eccentric holes 23 intended to encompass the suspender 21.The eccentric placing allows the marker units to have a larger diameterthan would be possible with a central hole, as the lateral distancebetween the clip 19 and suspender 21 is relatively small. The markerunits also have guideholes 24, which are made transverse in manufacture,after which a guide-pin 25 is passed into the guide-hole 24 from belowover part of its length. For assembly of several units for informationconcerning a given article, the various units are fitted so that theprojecting portion of the guide-pin of an overlying unit is insertedinto the guide-hole 24 of an underlying unit. In this way verticalcoordination is obtained of the items of information provided by theindividual units 22.

Although the invention has been described with reference to two of itsembodiments, it can be arbitrarily varied within the scope of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device adapted to fit onto the hook of a clotheshanger in order toconvey information concerning a garment hung from the clothes-hanger,said device comprising:

a. an inner wall i. defining a central traversing hole which is adaptedto receive a clothes-hanger book which is smaller in cross-section thanthe central traversing hole,

ii. being made of a resilient material, and

iii. having a radial slot therein which extends over the entirelongitudinal extent of said inner wall and is of width less than thewidth of the clotheshanger hook;

b. a radial wall i. extending radially from one end of said inner wall,

ii. being made of a resilient material,

iii. being circular in shape, and

iv. having a radial slot herein which communicates with the radial slotin said inner wall and is of width less than the width of theclothes-hanger hook; and

c. an outer wall i. depending from said radial wall on the same sidethereof as said inner wall,

ii. bearing information on the external periphery thereof,

iii. being made of a resilient material,

iv. being circular in longitudinal cross-section, and

v. having a radial slot therein which communicates with the radial slotin said radial wall;

d. said inner, radial, and outer walls together defining an empty,annular volume which i. is continuous around at least the major portionof the longitudinal cross-section of the device, ii. is much thicker inthe radial direction than said inner and outer walls, and iii. is opento the exterior of the device on the side thereof opposite to saidradial wall, whereby a clothes-hanger hook having'a larger crosssectionthan the width of the slots in said radial and inner walls may bepressed through the slots and into the central traversing hole, where itwill be releasably held.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal length ofsaid inner and outer walls is small relative to the diameter of saidradial wall.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said inner wall is cylindricalin shape.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said outer wall is cylindricalin shape.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 and further comprising a conical walljoining said radial wall to said outer wall.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inner wall is cylindricalin shape.

7. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said outer wall is cylindricalin shape.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7 and further comprising a conical walljoining said radial wall to said outer wall.

9. A device as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a conical walljoining said radial wall to said outer wall.

10. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the device has a bevelledsurface between said outer wall and said radial wall, whereby grippingof a particular device with the finger is facilitated when a pluralityof the devices are fitted on the same hook.

11. A device as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising register meansfor holding two of the devices in register when they are mounted on thesame hook adjacent to one another.

12. In combination, a clothes-hanger and a talley adapted to fit ontothe hook of the clothes-hanger in order to convey information concerninga garment hung from the clothes-hanger, the combination comprising:

a. a clothes-hanger having a body adapted to hang a garment and a hookadapted to permit the clotheshanger to be hung from something externalto the clothes-hanger and b. a talley adapted to fit onto the hook ofsaid clothes-hanger, said talley comprising i. an inner wall a. defininga central traversing hole which is larger in cross-section than the hookof said clothes-hanger,

b. being made of a resilient material, and

c. having a radial slot therein which extends over the entirelongitudinal extent of said inner wall and is of width less than thewidth of the hook of said clothes-hanger;

ii. a radial wall a. extending radially from one end of said inner wall,

b. being made of a resilient material,

c. being circular in shape, and

d. having a radial slot therein which communicates with the radial slotin said inner wall and is of width less than the width of theclotheshanger hook; and iii. an outer wall a. depending from said radialwall on the same side thereof as said inner wall, b. bearing informationon the external periphery thereof, c. being circular in longitudinalcross-section,

and d. having a radial slot therein which communicates with the radialslot in said radial wall; iv. said inner, radial, and outer wallstogether defining an empty annular volume which a. is continuous aroundat least the major portion of the longitudinal cross-section of thedevice, b. is much thicker in the radial direction than said inner andouter walls, and c. is open to the exterior of the device on the sidethereof opposite to said radial wall, whereby the hook of saidclothes-hanger may be pressed through the slots in said radial and innerwalls and into the central traversing hole, where it will be releasablyheld.

13. A combination as claimed in claim 2 wherein the longitudinal lengthof said inner and outer walls is small relative to the diameter of saidradial wall.

14. A combination as claimed in claim 13 wherein said inner wall iscylindrical in shape.

15. A combination as claimed in claim 13 wherein said outer wall iscylindrical in shape.

16. A combination as claimed in claim 14 and further comprising aconical wall joining said radial wall to said outer wall.

17. A combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein said inner wall iscylindrical in shape.

18. A combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein said outer wall iscylindrical in shape.

19. A combinationas claimed in claim 18 and further comprising a conicalwall joining said radial wall to said outer wall.

20. A combination as claimed in claim 12 and further comprising aconical wall joining said radial wall to said outer wall.

21. A combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein said talley has abevelled surface between said outer wall and said radial wall, wherebygripping of a particular device with the fingers is facilitated when aplurality of talleys like said talley are fitted on the hook of saidclothes-hanger.

22. A combination as claimed in claim 12 and further comprising registermeans for holding a second talley like said talley in register with saidtalley on the hook of said clothes-hanger.

1. A device adapted to fit onto the hook of a clothes-hanger in order toconvey information concerning a garment hung from the clothes-hanger,said device comprising: a. an inner wall i. defining a centraltraversing hole which is adapted to receive a clothes-hanger hook whichis smaller in crosssection than the central traversing hole, ii. beingmade of a resilient material, and iii. having a radial slot thereinwhich extends over the entire longitudinal extent of said inner wall andis of width less than the width of the clothes-hanger hook; b. a radialwall i. extending radially from one end of said inner wall, ii. beingmade of a resilient material, iii. being circular in shape, and iv.having a radial slot herein which communicates with the radial slot insaid inner wall and is of width less than the width of theclothes-hanger hook; and c. an outer wall i. depending from said radialwall on the same side thereof as said inner wall, ii. bearinginformation on the external periphery thereof, iii. being made of aresilient material, iv. being circular in longitudinal cross-section,and v. having a radial slot therein which communicates with tHe radialslot in said radial wall; d. said inner, radial, and outer wallstogether defining an empty, annular volume which i. is continuous aroundat least the major portion of the longitudinal cross-section of thedevice, ii. is much thicker in the radial direction than said inner andouter walls, and iii. is open to the exterior of the device on the sidethereof opposite to said radial wall, whereby a clothes-hanger hookhaving a larger cross-section than the width of the slots in said radialand inner walls may be pressed through the slots and into the centraltraversing hole, where it will be releasably held.
 2. A device asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal length of said inner andouter walls is small relative to the diameter of said radial wall.
 3. Adevice as claimed in claim 2 wherein said inner wall is cylindrical inshape.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said outer wall iscylindrical in shape.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 4 and furthercomprising a conical wall joining said radial wall to said outer wall.6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said inner wall is cylindricalin shape.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said outer wall iscylindrical in shape.
 8. A device as claimed in claim 7 and furthercomprising a conical wall joining said radial wall to said outer wall.9. A device as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a conical walljoining said radial wall to said outer wall.
 10. A device as claimed inclaim 1 wherein the device has a bevelled surface between said outerwall and said radial wall, whereby gripping of a particular device withthe finger is facilitated when a plurality of the devices are fitted onthe same hook.
 11. A device as claimed in claim 1 and further comprisingregister means for holding two of the devices in register when they aremounted on the same hook adjacent to one another.
 12. In combination, aclothes-hanger and a talley adapted to fit onto the hook of theclothes-hanger in order to convey information concerning a garment hungfrom the clothes-hanger, the combination comprising: a. a clothes-hangerhaving a body adapted to hang a garment and a hook adapted to permit theclothes-hanger to be hung from something external to the clothes-hangerand b. a talley adapted to fit onto the hook of said clothes-hanger,said talley comprising i. an inner wall a. defining a central traversinghole which is larger in cross-section than the hook of saidclothes-hanger, b. being made of a resilient material, and c. having aradial slot therein which extends over the entire longitudinal extent ofsaid inner wall and is of width less than the width of the hook of saidclothes-hanger; ii. a radial wall a. extending radially from one end ofsaid inner wall, b. being made of a resilient material, c. beingcircular in shape, and d. having a radial slot therein whichcommunicates with the radial slot in said inner wall and is of widthless than the width of the clothes-hanger hook; and iii. an outer walla. depending from said radial wall on the same side thereof as saidinner wall, b. bearing information on the external periphery thereof, c.being circular in longitudinal cross-section, and d. having a radialslot therein which communicates with the radial slot in said radialwall; iv. said inner, radial, and outer walls together defining an emptyannular volume which a. is continuous around at least the major portionof the longitudinal cross-section of the device, b. is much thicker inthe radial direction than said inner and outer walls, and c. is open tothe exterior of the device on the side thereof opposite to said radialwall, whereby the hook of said clothes-hanger may be pressed through theslots in said radial and inner walls and into the central traversinghole, where it will be releasably held.
 13. A combination as claimed inclaim 2 wHerein the longitudinal length of said inner and outer walls issmall relative to the diameter of said radial wall.
 14. A combination asclaimed in claim 13 wherein said inner wall is cylindrical in shape. 15.A combination as claimed in claim 13 wherein said outer wall iscylindrical in shape.
 16. A combination as claimed in claim 14 andfurther comprising a conical wall joining said radial wall to said outerwall.
 17. A combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein said inner wallis cylindrical in shape.
 18. A combination as claimed in claim 12wherein said outer wall is cylindrical in shape.
 19. A combination asclaimed in claim 18 and further comprising a conical wall joining saidradial wall to said outer wall.
 20. A combination as claimed in claim 12and further comprising a conical wall joining said radial wall to saidouter wall.
 21. A combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein said talleyhas a bevelled surface between said outer wall and said radial wall,whereby gripping of a particular device with the fingers is facilitatedwhen a plurality of talleys like said talley are fitted on the hook ofsaid clothes-hanger.
 22. A combination as claimed in claim 12 andfurther comprising register means for holding a second talley like saidtalley in register with said talley on the hook of said clothes-hanger.